Donald Bealmear, grandfather of Ted Bealmear, died Saturday, June 7 at Jewish Hospital in Shelbyville, Kentucky. He was 80. A naval veteran of the Korean War, he proudly served on the USS Estes. He then worked for the L&N Railroad and Wayne Supply Company. He graduated from Bellarmine College, Louisville, Kentucky, in 1962. He was employed as a Trust Officer at Irwin Union Bank in Columbus, Indiana from 1963-1978. In 1995, he retired after 17 years from First National Bank of Springfield, Illinois. He moved to Taylorsville, Kentucky in 1998, and was employed by People’s Bank in Taylorsville as a courier until 2010. Donald was devoted to and active in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a Eucharistic Minister, and a Charter Member of the All Saints Knights of Columbus, Third Degree. He was a Cub Master for Pack 555 in Columbus, Indiana, and was President of the Bartholomew County Easter Seal Society for a number of years. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Stephen, and his parents. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley, two sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and two brothers. Funeral Services were held Thursday, June 12 at the All Saints Catholic Church in Taylorsville. Interment followed in the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central in Ratcliff. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund, P.O. Box 531, Taylorsville, KY 40071; to the ALS Association, www.alsa.org; or to Paralyzed Veterans of America, www.pva.org. Online condolences may be expressed at www.halltaylorfuneralhomes.com. Cards may be sent to Ted at 234 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505.
Norman L. Rexrode Sr. of Summersville passed away June 2, in Lebanon, Virginia, at the age of 87. He was born in Fort Seybert (Pendleton Co.) and was a World War II Navy veteran. He was the WVU agricultural extension agent in Nicholas County from 1955 to 1984. Prior to that, he was an assistant agent in Pocahontas County. He was a co-founder of the Nicholas County Potato Festival.
He is survived by his wife of 65 1/2 years, Hicle; one son; three daughters; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Friday, June 6 at the White Funeral Home in Summersville; burial followed at West Virginia Memorial Gardens, Calvin (Nicholas Co.).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local food pantry in his memory. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitefuneralhomewv.com or by mail to the family at: 135 Groves Street, Summersville, WV 26651.
Beecher Rhoades, father of Jessie Momen, died Thursday, May 22, at Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital in Weston following a brief illness. He was 88. Beecher was an honored veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served in World War II and the Korean War. In 2006 he was recognized as the Marine Corps League Marine of the Year. He was an active volunteer who also served as the Marine Corps League, Department of West Virginia 21st Commandant. He retired from Equitable Gas Company in 1985 with 33 years of service. Beecher was an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed farming, fishing, traveling, and flying his Cherokee airplane. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #10 AF&AM and the Freemansburg United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty Elizabeth Burnside, four daughters, one son, 14 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, one brother, one sister, and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held on Sunday, May 25 at the Pat Boyle Funeral Home Chapel in Jane Lew, West Virginia. Interment followed in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. Full military honors were accorded by the United States marine Corp and the Lewis County Honor Guard. Condolences can be left online at www.patboylefuneralhome.com or sent to Jessie and family at 2010 Pierpont South Estates, Morgantown WV 26508.
Helen Stollings Tyree, wife of Jack Tyree, former West Virginia Extension agent and state 4-H leader in Virginia, died Saturday, May 24 in Louisville, Kentucky. She was 95. Helen was born in Huntington, West Virginia. She was an honors graduate of Barboursville High School and of Huntington Business College. During WW II, she worked for a grocery wholesaler, the Railroad Retirement Board and the Chamber of Commerce, all in Huntington. After the war, she worked at Cornell University, earning her “P.H.T.” (putting husband through). She lived much of her adult life in Blacksburg, Virginia, before moving with her husband to Louisville, Kentucky, in 2000. She served as a volunteer 4-H leader in West Virginia and Virginia. She also served as a Girl Scout Leader and a member of the PEO women’s service club. In Blacksburg, she helped organize the first faculty women’s club. In recent years, she was a member of the Springdale Presbyterian Church in Louisville. She is survived by her husband of 73 years, Jack M. Tyree, a sister, a son and his wife, a daughter and her husband, three granddaughters, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held in Louisville on Wednesday, May 28. Internment followed at Louisville Memorial Gardens East. Condolences may be sent to the family at 7913 Barbourmeade Rd., Louisville, KY 40241-2608.
Far from being an “ivory tower,” Extension works for improvements in the everyday life of the state’s parents, children, farmers, businesses, communities, and labor force. More than 24,000 youth participate in summer learning activities. Farming and forestry operations are enhanced while our environment is protected. Community leadership receives training and tools to better the lives of local citizens. The state’s labor force accesses valuable training. Healthy lifestyles are promoted statewide to all, from seniors through toddlers.
Registration is open for participation in the West Virginia University Building at the 2014 State Fair of West Virginia. You can sign up to be a general volunteer or reserve space for a program display or activity on the 
Summer’s barely here, but it will be football season before you know it. One sign? The official 2014 Fan Shirt is now available! Back in the spring, fans voted to put “Forever a Mountaineer” on the front, and the Mountaineer and West Virginia state outline on the back. The shirts are available in both short and long sleeve styles. You can find them at your local 
He called McConnell “the right person at the right time,” noting her familiarity with all phases of academic life as well as with the bold vision of a major land-grant university and its primary mission to serve our state and its citizens.
